# four

Pronunciation: say "FOR" US /fo(ː)ɹ/, UK /fɔː/, AUS /foː/

## Numeral

1. The number equal to two plus two, one more than three; used to describe a group of four people or things.
   - Simple: The number 4, one more than three.
   - _The team consists of four members._
   - _She booked four tickets for the evening show._

## Noun

2. The written figure or digit 4, or an instance of it appearing somewhere.
   - Simple: The written sign that stands for the number 4.
   - _Her handwritten four looked almost like a nine._
   - _The license plate ended in two fours._
3. Anything that measures four units, especially of length.
   - Simple: Something that measures four units, especially in length.
   - _My daughter wore a four in sneakers last spring, but now she needs a five._
   - _The plans call for four-foot and six-foot pieces, and we still need two fours to finish the frame._
4. The hour of four o'clock, in the morning or the afternoon.
   - Simple: The time of day when the clock shows four o'clock.
   - _The train leaves at four sharp._
   - _By four, the office had nearly emptied._
5. A young child who is four years of age.
   - Simple: A child who has reached the age of four years.
   - _The nursery keeps the fours apart from the threes._
   - _At the preschool, the fours all wanted a turn on the slide._
6. A playing card showing four symbols of its suit, or a face of a die or half of a domino marked with four spots.
   - Simple: A playing card with four marks of its suit, or a side of a die or domino with four dots.
   - _He laid down the four of spades and took the trick._
   - _She matched his domino with a four and a blank, and the line kept growing._
7. In rowing, a crew of four rowers, each pulling one oar, with or without a coxswain to steer.
   - Simple: In rowing, the team of four rowers who race a boat together.
   - _The four rowed in perfect time down the course._
   - _After the final, the four hoisted their oars and celebrated their medal together._
8. In rowing, a narrow racing boat rowed by a crew of four, with or without a coxswain.
   - Simple: A long, narrow racing boat for four rowers, each pulling one oar.
   - _The four glided smoothly past the boathouse._
   - _She helped lift the four onto the rack after practice._
9. In cricket, a scoring shot, usually one that bounces before crossing the boundary, that earns the batting team four runs.
   - Simple: In cricket, a hit worth four runs, usually when the ball reaches the edge of the field after touching the ground.
   - _A crisp cover drive sent the ball to the rope for a four._
   - _He finished the over with three fours and a single._

## Noun

10. A measure of spirits priced at four pence, served in old public houses. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: A serving of strong drink that cost four pennies, sold in earlier times.

## Other meanings

- (noun) In rowing, a race or regatta event for boats with four rowers, each pulling one oar.
- (noun) In basketball, the power forward position, or the player who fills it.

## Origin

The number 'four' comes from Middle English 'four', from Old English 'fēower', tracing back through Proto-Germanic '*fedwōr' to the Proto-Indo-European '*kʷetwṓr'. It shares this origin with Dutch 'vier', German 'vier', Latin 'quattuor', Ancient Greek 'téssares', and Sanskrit 'catur'.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/four (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).